What does "pragmatic" mean?
A man of business.
Pragmatic
/pɹæɡˈmætɪk/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A man of business.
- Grammar: pragmatic is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: practical, academic worldliness, ad hoc group, advantageous.
- Useful contrasts: idealistic, abstract, academic achievements.
- Usage evidence: I have been told that I am pragmatic, and I am.
How to use "pragmatic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pragmatic" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pragmatic" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pragmatic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pragmatic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pragmatic" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "practical" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pragmatic", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A man of business.
- 2 an imperial decree that becomes part of the fundamental law of the land wordnet
- 3 A busybody.
- 4 A public decree.
Adjective
- 1 Practical, concerned with making decisions and actions that are useful in practice, not just theory.
"The sturdy furniture in the student lounge was pragmatic, but unattractive."
- 2 Philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; said of literature.
"Polybius’s pragmatic history is simply the history of affairs, as distinguished from the descriptive and often poetical character which much history before his time had."
- 3 Interfering in the affairs of others; officious; meddlesome. obsolete
Adjective
- 1 concerned with practical matters wordnet
- 2 guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory wordnet
- 3 of or concerning the theory of pragmatism wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I have been told that I am pragmatic, and I am."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pragmatic"?
Common synonyms include: practical, academic worldliness, ad hoc group, advantageous, animist, animistic.
How do you use "pragmatic" in a sentence?
I have been told that I am pragmatic, and I am.
How do you pronounce "pragmatic"?
Pronounced /pɹæɡˈmætɪk/.
Etymology
From Middle French pragmatique, from Late Latin pragmaticus (“relating to civil affair; in Latin, as a noun, a person versed in the law who furnished arguments and points to advocates and orators, a kind of attorney”), from Ancient Greek πραγματικός (pragmatikós, “active, versed in affairs”), from πρᾶγμα (prâgma, “a thing done, a fact”), in plural πράγματα (prágmata, “affairs, state affairs, public business, etc.”), from πράσσω (prássō, “to do”) (whence English practical).